Photochromic material regeneration package

ABSTRACT

A new package is provided which features a unique dark room cavity which is adapted to accommodate a plate containing photochromic material for regenerating the photochromic material to its original color after all or a portion of the photochromic material has changed color as a result of exposure to direct sun rays. The package may be formed of cardboard, chipboard, paperboard, or corrugated paperboard. A tray-like base member is provided which includes a bottom panel and four opposed side panels which are fastened together at the corners to form four side walls perpendicular to the bottom panel. One of the side walls is slotted so that the plate of photochromic material may be inserted into the base member. An insert member is positioned within the base member and includes a top panel which is elevated to a position overlying and separated from the bottom panel so as to define a dark room cavity therebetween for receipt and regeneration of the plate of photochromic material. A telescoping lid member may be positioned over and into mating relationship with the base member to completely close the package.

XR 3 777,390 MES United Statt [111 3,777,390

Charlesworth Dec. 11, 1973 PIIOTOCIIROMIC MATERIAL [57] ABSTRACT REGENERATION PACKAGE Robert L. Charlesworth, Toledo, Ohio [73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois, lnc., Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: July 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,948

[75] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerRobert F. Cutting Att0rneyAlan J. Steger et al.

A new package is provided which features a unique dark room cavity which is adapted to accommodate a plate containing photochromic material for regenerating the photochromic material to its original color after all or a portion of the photochromic material has changed color as a result of exposure to direct sun rays. The package may be formed of cardboard, chipboard, paperboard, or corrugated paperboard. A traylike base member is provided which includes a bottom panel and four opposed side panels which are fastened together at the corners to form four side walls perpendicular to the bottom panel. One of the side walls is slotted so that the plate of photochromic material may be inserted into the base member. An insert member is positioned within the base member and includes a top panel which is elevated to a position overlying and separated from the bottom panel so as to define a dark room cavity therebetween for receipt and regeneration of the plate of photochromic material. A telescoping lid member may be positioned over and into mating relationship with the base member to completely close the package.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] DESI 1 I973 1 sum 1 or g PHOTOCIIROMIC MATERIAL REGENERATION PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the regeneration of photochromic materials and, more specifically, it relates to a unique package which incorporates a dark room cavity which is adapted to accommodate a plate containing photochromic material for regenerating the photochromic material to its original color after all or a portion of the photochromic material has changed color as a result of exposure to direct sun rays.

Photochromic materials, which change color with exposure to variations in light intensity, have been utilized in various forms formany years. Recently, these materials have been used as toys or novelty items for children wherein images of various objects may be formed in the photochromic material. When an object or item to be imaged is placed on a photochromic material and the photochromic material subjected to a high degree of light intensity, such as direct sun rays, the exposed portion of the photochromic material will change color. Upon removal of the object to be imaged from the surface of the photochromic material, the portion of the photochromic material that was beneath the object remains in the original color and forms an image of the object that was placed thereon. It is a characteristic of photochromic materials that in moderate light the resulting image formed in the material will remain visible for a considerable length of time. If it is desired to erase the image, it is necessary for the user to place the photochromic material in a relatively dark environment so that the portion of the photochromic material which changed color in the presence of direct high intensity light can be regenerated to its original color, which is the same as the color of the image, to thereby effectively erase the image from the photochromic material. Thus, the use of photochromic materials as toys has become difficult as the user must seek out a high intensity light source, such as the direct rays of the sun, and also a relatively dark environment, such as a closed room. Therefore, there has been a long-felt need for a package that could be'utilized for distributing plates of photochromic material to be used as toys or'novelty items which also incorporates a place for regenerating the photochromic material at the same location that the photochromic material was subjected to high intensity light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a package suitable for storage and delivery of plates of photochromic material and objects to be imaged and which also incorporates a unique dark room to facilitate on-the-spot regeneration of the photochromic material. The package of this invention incorporates a tray-like base member which includes a bottom panel and four opposed side panels which are fastened together at the corners to form four side walls which are perpendicular to the bottom panel. One of the side walls is slotted so that a plate of photochromic material may be inserted into the interior of the base member. An insert member is positioned within the base member and incorporates a top panel elevated to a position overlying and separated from the bottom panel to thereby create a dark room cavity therebetween for receipt and regeneration of the plate of photochromic material. The top panel of the insert member also serves to support plates of photochromic material when it is desired to store and carry them in the package. In addition, the insert member includes a recessed tray for storing a number of objects that may be suitable for imaging. A telescoping lid member may be positioned over and into mating relationship with the base member to completely close the package.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of the invention and the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly view showing the various component parts of the package of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank which is utilized to form the insert member of the package of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the insert and base members of the package in assembled relationship with a plate of photochromic material inserted therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It should be understood that the package of this invention may be formed of any suitable material, such as cardboard, chipboard, paperboard, or corrugated paperboard.

Referring to FIG. 1, the unique package of this invention, identified generally by the numeral 10, includes a tray-like base member 12, an insert member 14, and a telescoping lid or cover 16. A plate member 18 is provided to incorporate and support a layer of photochromic material 20. The plate member 18 is shown here to have a generally rectangular configuration and includes a centrally located opening 22 in which the layer of photochromic material 20 is mounted.

The base member 12 has a tray-like configuration including a bottom panel 24 and four side panels 26 which are hingedly attached to the opposite edges of bottom panel 24 along suitable fold lines 28 and which are folded into perpendicular relationship to the bottom panel 24. The four side walls 26 are attached together at their four corners by suitable means, such as taping or gluing overlap tabs (not shown). One of these side walls 26 incorporates a slot 30 which is sized to accommodate the plate 18 and facilitate the insertion of the plate 18 into the interior space of the base member 12. Opposed side walls of the base member 12 may have portions removed to form recesses 32 which assist in providing easy access for removal of the insert member 14 when it is positioned within the base member 12.

The lid member 16 may be of any suitable type adapted to telescope over and mate with the base member 12. For purposes of illustration here, it is shown to include a top panel 34 and four side walls 36 which are hingedly attached to the opposite edges of the top panel 34 along fold lines 38. The side walls 36 are folded to a position perpendicular to the top panel 34 and suitably attached to each other at their four corners, such as by taping, to form a telescoping lid adapted to be positioned over and cooperate with base member 12 to form a closed container.

The insert member 14 is formed from a blank 40 as shown in FIG. 2. The blank 40 includes an upper support panel 42 and three side panels 44, 46, and 48. These three side panels, when folded down to a position perpendicular to the upper support panel 42, serve as supporting members for the upper support panel 42 and separate it from the bottom panel 24 when the insert member 14 is positioned within the base member 12. The side panel 48 has a large portion of its lower edge removed to form a recess 50 which cooperates with the slot 30 in the base member 12 to facilitate easy insertion of the plate member 18 into the space formed between the upper support panel 42 of the insert member 14 and the bottom panel 24 of the base member 12. It is this space formed between the upper support panel 42 and the bottom panel 24 when the insert member 14 is positioned within the base member 12 that provides the unique dark room or cavity for regenerating the photochromic material. The remaining portions of the insert member 14, which is formed from the blank 40 shown in FIG. 2, are adapted to provide a storage tray for various objects that are to be packaged for carrying and storage along with plates of photochromic material. Adjacent panels 52 and 54 cooperate to provide a raised ledge at one end of the upper support panel 42. Adjacent panels 56, 58, and 60 cooperate to provide an article-supporting tray which is recessed to a location below the upper surface of upper support panel 42. End flaps 62 and 64, hingedly attached to the ends of side panels 44 and 48, respectively, and end flaps 66 and 68, hingedly attached to the opposite ends of panel 58, cooperate to support the panel 58 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to provide an article-supporting tray within the insert member 14. The resulting configuration of insert member 14 can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. Upper support panel 42 may be utilized as a supporting surface for one or more plates 14 of photochromic material 20 when it is desired to store or carry them within the package 10. In addition, upper support panel 42 is spaced from and cooperates with bottom panel 24 in base member 12 to create a dark room cavity therebetween which is adapted to receive a plate 18 of photochromic material 20 through the slot for regeneration of the photochromic material in a dark room environment. In addition, a recessed tray is provided whereby articles to be imaged may be stored and supported on panel 58 within the package 10.

Therefore, as can be clearly understood from the preceding description, a package is provided which is adapted to contain, for carrying and storage, several plates of photochromic material and a number of objects to be imaged. Upon removal of the lid member, a plate of photochromic material and objects to be imaged may then be reached and utilized. Once an image has been formed by placing an object to be imaged on the photochromic material in a plate and subjecting the photochromic material to high intensity light, this image can be erased almost immediately by inserting the plate through the slot into the dark room cavity formed within the package. The provision of a unique dark room cavity directly within the same package utilized for storage of the plates of photochromic material and the objects to be imaged thereby eliminates the need for the user to seek a dark environment for regeneration of the photochromic material. Thus, the unique package of this invention provides all of the necessary elements for complete enjoyment of photochromic material as a novelty item or toy. The package provides a safe storage place for transportation of the plates of photochromic material and a variety of items to be imaged. In addition, it provides a unique dark room cavity for regeneration of the photochromic material and the effective erasure of the image formed therein which can be utilized at the same location where the image was formed in the photochromic material. In addition, the utilization of a complete dark room cavity of the type provided by this package results in a faster regeneration time for the photochromic material in compari son with other semi-dark environments to thereby place the layer of photochromic material in condition for reutilization in a much shorter period of time.

I claim:

1. A package including a dark room cavity which is adapted to receive a plate containing photochromic material for regenerating the photochromic material to its original color after all or a portion of the photochromic material has changed color as a result of exposure to direct sun rays, said package comprising, in combination:

a base member having a bottom panel and four opposed side wall panels, one of said side wall panels having a plate-receiving slot formed therein to facilitate insertion of said plate of photochromic ma terial into the tray member;

and an insert member adapted to be positioned within said base member and having an upper panel and a plurality of side wall panels foldably attached to opposite edges of said upper panel and positioned perpendicular to said upper panel, said side wall panels having their free edges in engagement with the bottom panel of said base member to support said upper panel in a position spaced from and overlying the bottom panel of said base member so as to define a dark room cavity therebetween for receipt and regeneration of said plate of photochromic material, and a plurality of trayforming panels hingedly attached to each other and to one edge of the upper panel of said insert member and adapted to be folded to form an articlesupporting tray within said package.

2. A package as set forth in claim 1 further including a telescoping lid member adapted to be placed into overlying mating relationship with said base member to enclose said insert member within said base member.

3. A package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said lid member includes a top panel and four opposed side wall panels perpendicular to said top panel. 

1. A package including a dark room cavity which is adapted to receive a plate containing photochromic material for regenerating the photochromic material to its original color after all or a portion of the photochromic material has changed color as a result of exposure to direct sun rays, said package comprising, in combination: a base member having a bottom panel and four opposed side wall panels, one of said side wall panels having a plate-receiving slot formed therein to facilitate insertion of said plate of photochromic material into the tray member; and an insert member adapted to be positioned within said base member and having an upper panel and a plurality of side wall panels foldably attached to opposite edges of said upper panel and positioned perpendicular to said upper panel, said side wall panels having their free edges in engagement with the bottom panel of said base member to support said upper panel in a position spaced from and overlying the bottom panel of said base member so as to define a dark room cavity therebetween for receipt and regeneration of said plate of photochromic material, and a plurality of tray-forming panels hingedly attached to each other and to one edge of the upper panel of said insert member and adapted to be folded to form an articlesupporting tray within said package.
 2. A package as set forth in claim 1 further including a telescoping lid member adapted to be placed into overlying mating relationship with said base member to enclose said insert member within said base member.
 3. A package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said lid member includes a top panel and four opposed side wall panels perpendicular to said top panel. 